Disk water-meter



(No Model.) S'Sheets-Sheet l.

- J. THOMSON.

DISK WATER METERi No. 427,485. Patented May 6, 1890.

E ww m Z (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. THOMSON.

DISK WATER METER.

No. 427,485. Patented May ,6, 1890.

WITNESSES:

WITNEssEs.; INVENTOH:

jATnNT trice.

JOHN THOMSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.l

DISK WATER-METER'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,485, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed March 5 1890. Serial No. 342,748. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, Kings county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disk Vater-Meterspf which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to disk water-meters of a well-known type, which is fully and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichv Figure l is a vertical centersection through the caps or exterior casing on the line of the pipe-openings and of a portion of the register-box, the register-plate, and the register support or standard, the disk-chamber being shown in full lines. Fig.2 is a complete bottom plan view developed from Fig. l, the lower section of the casing being removed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, but with the stuffing-box and disk-chamber also in sec-V tion, leaving the disk exposed in full lines, edge View, and showing a modiiication in the arrangement of the casing and the registersupport. Fig. 4 is a complete top plan View developed from Fig. 3, the register support and .upper cap being removed. Fig. 5 is a part center section through the casing at a right angle to the pipe-openings, this being` to particularly represent a front View of the inlet and outlet ports in the disk-chamber. There is also here shown the usual means of applying the register. Fig. 6 is a top plan viewin detail of the lower section of the diskchamber. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the disk, and Fig. S an edge View thereof with the diaphragm to illustrate an improvement in the form of the slot.

tate sectional construction and adaptation for foreign trade, to reduce the frictional resistance of the stuffing-box, toavoid the possibility of cramping between the disk and the diaphragm to make the assembling and iinal l adjustment more uniformly exact and certain, andV to increase the convenience for repair and maintenance in regular practice.

The disk-chamber is comprised of two sections-the upper 20 and the lower 2l-these being firmly secured together by the screws 22, and within the said chamber is the disk 23. To the upper section of the disk-chamber is secured, as by the screws 24, the lower gear-plate 25, and to this is attached by the pillars 2G the upper gear-plate 27. Between these plates are the internal gears leading to the stufng-boX spindle 28, which latter is riveted to the final gear .29V of the internal train. Formed upon andas apart of the up* per gear-plate is the stuffing-box 30, the lower and greater diam eter of which is adapted to a bearing or opening 3l, formed in the center 34. as also the bearing 3l in the cap are greater vthan that of the said stuffing-box nut.

Referring primarily to Figs. l and 2, it is shown that the inletV 35 and outlet 36 pipe openings are placed dia-metrically opposite each from the other in the upper cap 32, in

which the cylindrical portion 37 is finished to an exact internal diameter. The seated flanges 3S and 39 of the disk-chamber, which center these parts to each other, are cut away in sections, as at l0 and 4.1, to allow the free passage of the water. The inlet-port 42 of the disk-chamber is open and formed equally in both of the disk-chambersections5'bi1t the outlet-port 43, as here preferably shown, is covered over or housed in by the swelled portion 44 of the upper section; hence the discharge is entirely through the side of the lower section. This port is surrounded by the walls, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) as the side walls 4.5,

lower wall 46, and upper wall 4.7, the peripheral faces of which are finished to a cylindrical diameter equal, or nearly so, to that of the interior finished cylindrical portion 37 of the cap. It is to be observed at this stage that the structure so far as described can be completely IOO assembled, even including packing the stuifin g-boX and the application of the stuffing-box nut, and that the entire operating mechanism may also be tested before being attached within the casing.

The mechanism is now ready for attachment, in which the process is as follows: First, apply the plastic washer, as 48, over the stuffing-box to secure a water-tight joint, as will be apprehended; second, place the completely-assembled mechanism within the upper cap, the stuffing-box passing up through the bearing or opening 3l; third, secure the stuffing-box to the upper cap by the combined clamping-n ut and register-standard 49;

fourth, the attachment of the lower cap 50 .y completes the assemblage to the register. In so placing the disk-chamber within the cap it is necessary only to observe that the wall surrounding the outlet-port of the disk-chamber shallencircle the outlet-opening in the cap when'the conditions of operation are complete, theentire working mechanism being simply suspended within the cap by the stuffing-box and clamping-nut alone.

The iniiowingwater rst passes to the compartment formed around the disk-chamber by the caps, and, as indicated by the arrows, is free to circulate around the chamber, entering the inlet-port with equal facility from above, below, or sidewise. The exceedingly important feature of dynamic balance is thus insured. By this construction and disposal no great exactness is required in the manufacture of the caps, and the operations (plain turning) are of the simplest character. The entire structure is self-centering, so to speak. lt is not required to bring the two caps in line one with theother, the lower cap performing the simple function of resisting pressure, and, being the cheaper, may also be the weaker of the two, and hence the first to yield under destructive pressure, and as not a single screw is required, excepting only the service-connections, it becomes feasible to form'them from cast-iron, and also to treat them by the oxidizing process for prevention of rust. So, too, great compactness is obtained. In event of disarrangement, the entire working apparatus, by simply disconnecting the register clamping-nut and flange-bolts, may be withdrawn from t-he cap like a piston from a cylinder. A simple reversal of these conditions in the casing will result in the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the disk-chamber being constructed and suspended precisely as above described, the upper cap being centered to the lower, but acting only to suspend the disk-chamber, and the lower cap being provided with the water-connections. In meters of large capacities this arrangement presents the single advantage of allowing the removal of the disk-chamber, as. before, but without disconnecting the service-pipes. It will also be evident, without additional illustration, that modifications in no wise affectingthe dominant features of the invention may be made in the arrangement of the diskchamber-as, for instance, the outlet may be made the inlet, or the outlet-port ymay be formed in the upper section of the disk-chamber or equally in both sections thereof.

The combined clamping-nut and registerstandard 49 may be a simple nut, (see Fig. 5,) provided it is desired, as there illustrated, to attach the register and register-box directly to the cap by the usual auxiliary standards and screws, as 5l; but by the simple expedient of extending the nut outwardly, somewhat cup-shaped or hemispherical in form, as shown at 52, Fig. l, and finishing the rim or iiange 53, a firm and accurate support is provided for the attachment in the usual manyner of the register, register-plate 68, and its casing or box 54. In such form this effects an inclosure of the stuffing-box nut, desirable in some localities as a protection against meddlesome interference, and by the use of a gasket, as69, a tight joint may be made between the register-box and its seat to prevent introduction of dirt or muddy water to the register. The register-plate 68 is 'also in this wise secured to its recess 69v without additional means and with perfect accuracy, as the recess is turned from the same center and at the same time as the thread for connecting to the stuffing-box. Hence its accuracy of location is entirely independent of the casing, while the register-box simply acts as a clamp; but, if desirable, this standard may be left open like a ring, as shown in Fig. 3.

To prevent the detachment of the register and standard entire, a small set-screw 55 is placed in the hub thereof, which may be reached only before attaching the register, which, when snugly forced downward, will lock the combined nut and standard to the cap. The proper relative position of the register and register-box with respect to the inlet and outlet pipes may be determined by inserting a thin washer or washers between the exterior of the upper cap and the clamping-nut or by the employment of a sufficiently elastic packing 48 to permit the nut to be turned to the required place.

Now, bearing in mind what has already been pointed out with respect to the construction and disposal of the caps and disk-chamber, it only remains to indicate that by thus being able to completely assemble the entire mechanical or essential parts of the meter (the parts involving accurate machining and skill to assemble) to test the working, and then by simply unscrewing from the stuffingbox the clamping-standard with its attached register and box, (both of which may be again connected without further pulling down of their parts,) it becomes entirely practicable to ship such parts to foreign points of distribution, where the more cumbersome and easily manufactured casings may be made and applied.

As in the described arrangement of the stuffing-box and gear-plates it is necessary IOO IIO

that the primary or driving pinion 56, Fig. 3, of the train shall lie in the same axial lineas the final gear and spindle, (which would deprive this, the pinion of fastest motion, of its usual upper bearing,) I provide additional bearing-surface by projecting the hub of the slowly-rotating stuffing-box spindle downwardly, as at 57, and form therein an additional bearing for the rapidly-turning upper pivot 58 of the primary pinion 56. y

In Figs. '7 and S a detail improvement is shown in the form of the disk-slot which embraces the diaphragm 62, consisting in cutting away the bearing-edges 63 on both sides for about half of their distance outward from the ball, leaving a line of contact on each side, but at the outer portion of the slot. The angles 64 of the sides of the slot are to permit the vibrating action of the disk at this section, and it will be observed that the clearance thus made does not extend beyond the original face contact as lines 65 of the flat surfaces of the disk. Now, bearing in mind that during a uniform throwT the thrust of the disk will be constantly in one direction, as see arrow 66, lnaintaining a single bearingedge against the diaphragm, and that theintensity of this thrust will be greater as we approach the center of the ball, as in the common example of leverage, it appears as follows: that the wear will be greatest toward the center, that any cause which should tend to place the diaphragm or the slot at an angle with respect to each otheras indicated by the line 67, would thus permit contact upon both sides of the diaphragm, one toward the center and the other toward the exterior, and that such a double contact would cramp the disk, resulting either in its complete damage or rendering the meter less sensible at low deliveries, and such consequences may result if the bearing-lines of the slot extend parallel from the ball, or if the ball and socket wears to a loose fit, or if the diaphragm should be twisted or bent, as from excessive water-hammer shocks and rapid rates of iiow; but when the thrust-bearings of the slot are relieved, as shown and described, such difficulty is obviated.

I claim-- l. In a disk Water-meter, the combination of the diskchamber, disk therein, internal gear-train,and stuffing-box connected to gether to form a single self-contained structure, the said disk-chamber and gear-train beingentirely inclosed by the casing, to which are connected the inlet and outlet pipes, and being suspended and secured to the casing by the attachment of said stuffing-box, substantially as described.

2. In a disk water-meter, the disk-chamber and disk therein, internal gear-train, stuffingbox, and clamping-nut connected together to form a single self-contained structure, in combination with a casing, the said disk-chamber and gear-train being attached together and suspended therein by means of said stuffingbox and clamping-nut, the disk-chamber being adapted to connect with inlet and outlet openings formed in the casing, substantially as described.

3. In a disk water-meter, the combination, with the internal gearrain, disk-chamber, and disk therein, of the casing entirely inclosing the said parts, said casing having an opening to the interior thereof permitting'the iniiowing water to pass above and below the disk-chamber, the disk-chamber being provided with an outlet-port, the walls of which inclose the outletfopening in the casing,- substantially as described.

4'. The combination, with the upper cap, of

the clamping-nut and stuffing-box, the entire internal geartrain,th e disk-Chamb er, and disk therein being directly connected and suspended in the upper cap by the clampingnut, substantially as described. 5. The combination, with the upper cap, of the stuffing-box fitted therein, the register box and plate, and the combined clampingnut and support connected to the stuffing-box and forming a support for the register box and plate, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the upper cap, of the clamping-nut, stuffing-box, internal geartrain, and disk-chamber connected thereto, the diameter of the bearing in the cap being greater than that of the stuffing-box nut,

whereby the stuffing-box may be packed and the nut applied before the structure is inserted and attached to the said cap, substantially as described.

7. An internal gear-train of a water-meter, in which the stuiiing-box spindle is in axial line with the primary or driving'pinion of the train, the said spindle having a bearing in which is fitted the upper pivot of the said primary pinion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN THOMSON. Vitnesses:

F. A. LoNoRAFT, Jos. W. KAY.

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